Primary-voting mechanism.



0. C. ABBOTT.

PRIMARY VOTING MECHANISM.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 14.1911

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES:

' A rmmvsr G. G. ABBOTT.

PRIMARY VOTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14,1911. 7 1,127,149, Patented F8b.2, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATO/VEV INVENTOR Am VB F socmusr LABOR WITNESSES UNITED s'm'rns PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES C. ABBOTT, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO TRIUMPH VOTING MACHINE COMQPANY, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PRIMARYVOTING MECHANISM.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Application fiiea'a i 14, 1911. Serial No. 638,548.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES C. ABBOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsfield, county of Berkshire, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improve ment in Primary Voting Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to voting machines used in primary voting and to those features of voting machines of general utility as adapt them for use for this purpose. The,

laws in some localities require that a primary voter declare his party before entering the machine to vote. That portion of the machine which corresponds "to the nominees of the party so declared is thereupon unlocked to permit voting for such nominees, the remainder of the-machine being locked against operation. These laws, however, usually permit the primary voter to vote in dependently, that is to say for nominees of his own choosing rather than for the regular party nominees. In the latter case, however, the vote of the independent voter must be identified as to party.

In another-application filed January 2, 1912, Serial No. 669,252, there is shown and described primary voting mechanism arranged to unlock the voting members of a voting machine which correspond to the regular nominees of any desired party, leaving the remainder of the machine locked.

It is the object of the present invention to provide indepe ndent voting mechanismby the use of which a primary voter may vote for nominees of his own choice but which will cause the party of the voter so voting to be recorded by the machine.

\Vith the above and other objects in view I have devised the novel mechanism which 1 will now describe, referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and using reference characters to indicate the several parts:

Figure 1 is a view, looking toward the back of the machine, of the paper marking mechanism: Fig. is a transverse vertical section of a portion of the machine, the line of section being indicated by the line 22 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an elevation partly broken away ofa portion of the front of the machine; Fig. 4 is a section on the line H in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of one end of one of the party lines showing the corresponding party lever in section; Fig. 6 is a plan v ew, partly in sectio'n, of the parts shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a portion of the paper feed mechanism showing one of the shutters used in independent voting.

The invention is herein shown as applied to a machine of the type shown and de scribedin Letters Patent Number 911,006, granted to me March 2, 1909, and in an a plication for Letters Patent filed by me Juiiv 28, 1909, Serial Number 509,991, said machine being provided with independent voting mechanism of the general character disclosed in Letters Patent Number 914,007, granted to me March 2 1909. The machine shown in the first patent referred to is a horizontal machine, so called, in which-the names of party candidates are placed in horizontal lines, called party lines, and the names of all candidates for the same ofiice are placed in vertical columns, called oiilce columns, although of course\the mechanism may be arranged otherwise ifzoreferred.

12 denotes the framework of the machine which is formed of sheet metal forming a casing and providing the necessary supports, guides and bearings'for the various parts of themachine except as hereinafter pointed out.

13 (see Figs. 5 and 6) denotes the voting members as a whole, these voting members comprising oscillatory shafts journaled in the framework and having votin'g levers 14 lving outside the machine at the back. Turning of these voting members from the non-voting to the voting position places them in a position to cause anrop'eration of suitably arranged counters corres onding in number to the voting members. This counting mechanism is not shown herein as it forms no portion ot-the present invention and is fullv d sclosed in Letters Patent Number 911,006, above referred to.

1'5 denotes one of the party bars, which correspond in number. with the party lines of the machine, and 16 the resetting bars which correspondlin number withthe party bars. g

17 denotes arms on the voting member shafts, said arms'carrymg pins 18 which pass through slots 19 in the resettmgbars and through slots 20 in the party bars.

' 21 denotes the party levers pivoted in the framework and extending through slots in the front plate. The inner end of each party lever extends through a slot 22 in the.

corresponding resetting bar and through a.

b slot in a link 23 connected to the correspondi V 7 mg resetting bar.

ing party bar by means of a stud 24 which vasses through a slot 25 in the correspond- 26 denotes studs or lugs rivetedto the ends of the resetting bars 16.

The voting mechanism thus far referred to is, in a general waggwell known in the art and will, it is thong t, be understood without further description. The specific con-- struction and arrangement of the voting members and associated parts form no por-' .tion of the present invention.

-' The normal or non-voting osition of the parts is shown in'Figs. 5 an 6. With the l parts in this position the pins 18 carried y the voting members 13 are in engagement with the. left ends of .the-slots'19 m the re- -.setting bars 16, as shown in Fig. 5. The

' voting 'members cannot therefore be turned into'voting position, or rotated in a clockwise direction as shown in said figure*, w1thout causing a movement of the correspond- ,in g resetting bar l6 fromright to left; a

27 denotes rimary locking bolts or'members.QThesej olts are equal in number to the number of lines of voting members, are

guided in suitable parts of the framework, and are movable from an inoperative or retracted position into an operative position in which their rear ends are in engagement withthe studs 26 riveted to the ends of the resetting bars 16. This operation will best be understood from Fig.6 in which a bolt 27 is shown in inoperative position. When moved into operative position, or downwardly as-shown in said figure, the end of forward ends of the bolts 27 project. and a cover plate 29 secured theretorsaid cover plate having an index opening 30.

31 denotes party markers arranged acv cording to statutory provision and each designated b an identifying symbol, herein shown as i etters A, B, C, etc. 32-denotes keys secured to-..the key bar 28 and comprising fiat'strips of metal bent to form angular offsets or cam portions 33.

The locking bolts27 are provided i notches 34 p to receive the edges of the keys 32.

The arrangement is that when the 5 straight portion of any key i's'in engagement with the notch 34 of the corresponding bolt, i

as shown in Fig. 4, said bolt will be retra'cted or-moved toward theright in said figure into locking position with its rear end in engagement with the lug 26011 the resetting bar 16, thereby locking the corresponding party line. When the key bar 28 is moved to bring the cam portion 33 into engagement with the notch 34, asshown in Fig. 3, the bolt is moved forwardly 'or toward the left in Fig.' 4 and the corresponding line unlocked. 'lhe keys 32 are equal in number to the lines of votin members, and the cam portions 33 'thereo may be so arranged u on the key bar as to provide for the unloc ing of one line only at a time or the simultaneous unlocking of several lines in accordance with the requirements, as where the candidates'of one party occupy more than one line. For example, as indicated in F i 3 the candidates of party A I will be un erstoodto occupy the first and second lines from the top, those of party B the third and fourth, and so on. The key bar 28 is provided with symbols or letters corresponding to the symbols displayed by the palty markers .31, these symbols or letters being arranged to be'brought successively opposite the opening'30 as the key bar 28 is moved longitudinally in its guide. The arrangement of the offset portions 33 of the-keys is such that when the symbol A on the key carrier is opposite the index openings 30, party line or lines A will be unlocked and the remaining party lines locked; when the symbol B is opposite the index opening, party lineor lines B will be unlocked and the others locked; and

"so on.

i 35 denotes shaft journaled in the frame preferably detachably connected with the key bar 28 and may be arranged thereon according to requirements, as where the nominees of a party occupy a plurality of lines. The shaft 35 is therefore made longitudisally movable in its bearings to a limited extent suflicient to carry the pinion 37 inte and out of engagement with the rack 38 in order to permit the key bar 28 to be removed from the bottom of the cover plate 29 for the purpose of arranging the keys.

The primary locking mechanism thus far described is substantially the same as that disclosed and claimed in my (to-pending application Serial Number 669,252, above referred to. e

39 (see Fig. 7) denotes voting apertures in the rear of the casing which are covered by shutters 40 sliding in ways 41 on the inner side of the rear plate.

2 (see Fig. 2) denotes the independent voting paper strip which is drawn from a suitable source of s11 ply by means of a feed roll 43 (Figs. 2 and journaled in brackets 4d supported from the framework.

45 denotes a backing plate over which the paper strip passes and which is rigidly secured in place contiguous to apertures 39.

46 denotes the feed shaft which is suitably journaled in the framework, passes loosely through the feed roll-43, and is rotated by suitable connections with the entrance and exit mechanism which is operated by the voter when he enters and leaves the machine. These connections and mechanisms are not shown as they form no part of the present invention and are more fully disclosed in my prior patents above referred to.

Feed roll 43 is provided with a clutch member 47 coiiperating with a clutch sleeve 48 rotating with the paper feed shaft 46' but longitudinally movable thereon.

4:9 denotes an actuating slide which reciprocates in suitable ways in the machine frame and is connected with the clutch sleeve 48 by means of a clutch shifter 50.

51 denotes a link connected at its lower end with one of the interlocking members of the machine and having at its upper end an inwardly projecting head 52.

.The rear or face plate of the casing is provided with a series of openings 53, the upper portion of the left side of which (as shown in Fig. 7 consists of an incline 54.

55 denotes openings in actuating slide 49.

At the upper end of each shutter 40 is a reduced portion 56 terminating in an incline 57.

lVhen a shutter is in the closed position, the head 52 of the corresponding link 51 lies in the lower portion of the opening 53. /Vhen a shutter is opened, that is r ised, said head 52, through its engagemen with the incline 57 on the shutter, is forced laterally toward the right, as shown in Fig. 7, against the wall of the corresponding opening 55 in the actuating slide, forcing said slide toward the right and causing the clutch shifter to move the sliding clutch member into engagement with the fixed clutch memberon the end of the feed ran, the parts that being in the position shown in Fig. 7.

T e specific construction of the independe ent voting mechanism forms no portion of the resent invention and may be substantially as shown and described in Patent Number 914,007, above referred to, or othea wise, as preferred.

The paper strip in its passage from the backing plate 45 to the feed roll 43 is moved past marking mechanism, said mechanism applying a mark to the strip which is varied in accordance with the party of the voter,

preferably by the same means which adjusts the primary locking mechanism above dc scribed in accordance with said part As herein shown, the mark consists of a ine of perforations whose location transversely of the strip indicates the party in question.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 59 denotes a die plate riveted to the backing late 45 and provided with grooves 60. ocperating with said grooves 60 is a series of perforating Wheels 61 carried by plungers 62 which are guided in openings in a block 63 supported by a bracket 64 secured to the framework. Said block 63 is provided he neath the ends of said plungers 62 with a guideway 65 in which is slidably mounted a rod 66 carrying a roller 67 adapted, as said rod is moved longitudinally, to engage the plu'ngers 62 successively, thereby moving the corresponding wheels 61 upwardly and into operative relationship with the die plate 59.

68 denotes a link pivoted at one end to the slide rod 66 and at the other to an arm 69 projecting from a rock shaft 70 jonrnaled in the framework. 71 denotes a second arm on rockshaft 70 to which is pivoted a link 72. The lower end of said link 72 is provided with a rack 78 and is guided in a bracket 74 riveted to the casing, said bracket having a pin 75 which holds said rack 73 in engagement with a pinion 76 on the shaft 35.

As will now be seen, the key carrier 28 with its symbols or letters which are displayed through the index opening 30 serves as means for indicating the adjustment both of the primary locking mechanism and of the marking mechanism.

The pinion 76 (see Fig. 4) is of a length greater than'the thickness of the link 72 so as to remain permanently in engagement with the rack 73 in all positions of the shaft 35 when said shaft is moved longitudinally to disengage the pinion 37 from the rack 38. It will be observed in this connection that the longitudinal movement of the shaft 35 is limited in one direction by the engagement of the pinion 37 with the outer face of the front wall of the casing 12, and in the other direction by the engagement of the lpinion 76 with the inner face of said We] 7 7 denotes a collar pinned to the shaft 35 adjacent the pinion 76, said collar being of a radius substantially equal to the radius of the outer ends of the teeth on-said pinion T6. Collar 77 isprovidcd with a flattened portion TS whose surface lies opposite the bottoms of the teeth on said pinion 76. Engagement of-the collar 77 with the edge of the rack 73 prevents movement of the shaft 35 to disengage pinion 37 from rack 38 ex- 'ept when the flattened portion 78 is opposite said rack 73. This occurs when key carrier 28 is in a position to bring its upper symbol, herein the letter A, opposite index opening 30. When the pinion 37 is disengaged from the rack 38, the engagement of pinion 7G and flattened portion 78 of collar 77 with rack 73 prevents turning of shaft 35 and movement of link 79 denotes a reading rule supported in a convenient position adjacent the paper feed roll and provided with graduations S0 corresprnding in number and arrangement to the marking devices or perforating wheels 61, said graduations being identified by symbols corresponding to the symbols on the party markers and key carrier, herein shown as letters A, l5, C, etc.

The operation of the machine is as follows: irvoter approacl'iing the machine having declared his party, the knob 36 is turned to bringthe corresponding symbol on the key-bar 2S opposite the index opening 30. The result of this is to operate the primary locking mechanism to unlrck the voting members corresponding with the regular nominees of the party in question, locking all othervoting members, and at the same time to adjust the marking mechanism so as to bring the roller (37 on the slide rod 66 opposite the plunger 62 carrying the per-.

forating wheel which corresponds to that party. If now the voter elects to vote independently by opening an independent shutter 40, the actuation of the exit mechanism when the voter leaves the machine will cause the paper strip to be fed past the perforating Wheel corresponding to the voters party and which has been rendered operative, thereby forming a line of perforations lengthwise of the strip across the section used by the voter and positioned transversely of the strip in accordance with the voters party. If the paper r rll is not operated, that is to say if no independent shutter or shuttersare opened, but if the knob 36 is turned to adjust the mechanism for different parties, the slide rod (36 will be moved in its guide and the plungers (32 will rise and fall. causing the perforating wheels to make a line of perforations across the paper. This line, however, comes midway between. sections of the paper which are used by voters and cannot be confused with the regular identifying perforations which, as above stated, extend in lines longitudi- I voters who have used the independent paper roll at the primary.

When it is desired to remove the key carrier 28 for the purpcse of arranging the keys thereon, the knob 36 is turned to bring the symbol A opposite the index opening 30, whereupon the shaft is moved longitudinally by means of. said knob to carry the pinion 37 out of engagement with the rack 38, when the key bar '28 may be withdrawn from the machine at the lower end of the cover plate 29. shaft 35 to its normal position the marking mechanism will be locked by the engage" ment of the pinion T and collar 77 with the rack 73, as above explained.

Having thus described my invention 1 claim:

1. In a voting machine, the combination with a casing having a voting aperture and means for feeding a paper strip past said aperture in a position to permit a vote to be written thereon, of means for making a longitudinal mark on said strip and means to cintrol the position of said mark transversely of said strip.

In a. voting machine, the combination with a casing having a voting aperture and means for feeding a paper strip past said aperture in a position to permit a vote to be written thereon, of a slotted die plate over which said strip is fed, a plurality of perforating wheels cooperating with said die plate for perforating said strip, and means for rendering said Wheels alternatively opeative.

3. In a voting machine, the combination with a casing having a voting aperture and means for feeding a paper strip past said aperture in a position to permit a vote to be written therein, of a plurality of marking devices for marking said strip during the feed thereof and means independent of said feeding means for moving said devices alternatively into en agement with said strip.

at. In a voting machine, the combination with means for feeding a paper strip. of a plurality of plungers, markers carried bv said plungers, and means for rendering said markers alternatively operative. to mark said strip comprising a slide rrd movable across the ends of said plunger-s and means carried by said slide rod for engaging said plungers successively to move said markers into engagement with said strip.

5. In a voting machine, the combination with means for feeding a paper strip. of a plurality of plungers, perforating wheels Until the return of the carried by said plungers, and means for renderine said Wheels alternatively operative comprising a slide rod movable across the ends of said plungers and means carried by said slide rod for engaging said plunger-s successively to move said perforating Wheels into engagement with said strip.

(3. In a voting machine, the combination vvith a casing having a voting aperture and means for feeding a paper strip past said aperture ina position to permit a vote to be vvritten thereon, of a plurality of plungers,

markers carried by said plungers, a slide rod movable across the ends of said plunger-s, and a roller carried by said slide rod or engaging said plungers successively to move said markers into engagement with said strip.

7. In a voting machine, the combination with means for feeding a paper strip, of means for marking said strip and means to vary the mark made on said strip comprising a slide rod, a rock shaft, an arm on said rock shaft connected With said slide rod, a second arm on said rock shaft, a link connected with said last named arm and provided with a rack, and a pinion for operating said rack.

8. In a voting machine, the combination vvith a casing having a voting aperture and means for feeding a paper strip past said aperture in a position to permit a vote to be Written thereon, of means for marking said strip, and manually adjustable means to vary the mark so made and including a shaft, an indicator and means on said shaft for operating said indicator.

In a voting machine, the combination with means for feeding a paper strip, of means for marking said strip, means adjust able to vary the mark made on said strip and including a shaft, and means for indicating the adjustment of said varying means comprising a sliding bar provided with a rack and a pinion on said shaft cooperating with said rack.

10. In a voting machine, means for feeding a paper marking said strip, means to vary the mark made on said strip including a slide rod, a rock shaft having an arm connected with said slide rod, a second arm on said rock shaft, a link connected with said last named arm and provided with a rack, a shaft provided with a pinion cooperating with said rack, an indicator provided With a rack, and a second pinion on said shaft cooperating with said last named rack.

11. In a voting machine, the combination with voting members and primary locking mechanism for said voting members comprising locking bolts and a key carrier provided with keys for operating said bolts, of means for feeding a paper strip, means for marking said strip, and means connected in combination, strip, means for With a rack, and keys on with said key carrier for varying the mark made on said strip.

1.2. In a voting machine, the combination with voting members and primary locking mechanism for said voting members, of means for feeding a paper strip, means for marking said strip, means adjustable to vary the mar: made on said strip, and means for simultaneously adjusting said primary locking means and said varying means.

13. In a voting machine, the combination With Voting members and primary locking mechanism for said voting members comprising locking bolts and a removable key carrier provided With keys for operating said bolts, of means for feeding a paper strip, means for marking said strip and means detachably connected with said key carrier for varying the mark made on said strip.

14. In a voting machine, the combination With voting members and primary locking mechanism for said voting members comprising locking bolts and a key carrier provided with keys for operating said bolts, of means for feeding a paper strip, means for marking said strip, means adjustable to vary the mark made on said strip and including a shaft, and means on said shaft for operating said key carrier.

15. In a voting machine, the combination with voting members and primary locking mechanism for said voting members comprising locking bolts, a key carrier provided said carrier for operating said bolts, of means for feeding a paper strip, means for marking said strip, means for varyin the mark made on said strip including a Shift, and a pinion on said shaft cooperating with the rack on said key carrier.

16. In a voting machine, the combination with voting members and primary locking mechanism for said voting members comprising locking bolts, a removable key carrier provided with a rack, and keys on said carrier for operating said bolts, of means for feeding a paper strip, means for mark ing said strip, means for varying the mark made on said strip including a shaft, and a pinion on said shaft cooperating with the rack on said key carrier, said shaft being longitudinally movable to move said pinion into and out of engagement with said rack.

17. In a voting machine, the combination with voting members and primary locking mechanism for said voting members comprising locking bolts and a removable key carrier provided With keys for operating said bolts, of means for feed ng a paper strip, means for marking said strip, and means permanently connected with said marking means and detachablv connected with said key carrier for varying the mark made on said strip.

1 8. In a voting machine, the combination with voting members and primary locking mechanism for said voting members comprising locking bolts, a removable key carrier provided with a rack, and keys on said carrier for operating said bolts, of means for feeding a paper strip, means for marking said strip, means adjustable to vary the mark made on said strip including a link provided with a rack, a shaft having a pinion cooperating with the rack on said key carrier, said shaft having a limited longitudinal movement to move said pinion out of engagement with said rack, and a second pi'nion on said shaft cooperating with the rack on said-link, said last named pinion being of a length to remain permanently engaged with said rack in all positions of said shaft.

19. In a voting machine, the combination with voting members and primary locking mechanism for said voting members com prising locking bolts and a removable key carrier provided with keys for operating said bolts, of means for feeding a paper strip, means for marking said strip, means adiustable to vary the mark made on said strip, means detachably connected with said key carrier for o erating said varying means, and means for preventing the disconnection of said operating means from nently connected with with voting members and said kev carrier except in a certain position of the parts.

20. In a voting machine, the combination primary locking mechanism for said voting members comprising locking bolts, a removable key carrier provided with a rack and keys on said carrier for operating said bolts, of means for feeding a paper strip, means for marking said strip, means for varying the mark made on said strip including a shaft permasaid marking means, and a "pinion on said shaft cooperating with the rack on said key carrier, said shaft being longitudinally movable to move said pini on into and out of engagement with said rack.

21. In a voting machine, the combination with voting members and primary locking mechanism for said voting members comprising locking bolts and a removable key carrier provided with keys for operating said bolts, of means for feeding a paper strip, means for marking said strip, means adjustable to vary the mark made on said strip, means detachably connected with said key carrier and permanently connected with said varying means for operating said controlling means, and means for preventa 1,127,1ae

ing the disconnection of said operating means from said key carrier except in a certain position of the parts. I

22. In a voting machine, the combination with voting members and primary locking mechanism for said voting members comprising locking bolts and a removable key carrier provided with keys for operating said bolts, of means for feeding a paper strip, means for marking said strip, means to vary the mark made on said strip including a link provided with a rack, a shaft for o erating said key carrier and'longitudb nally movable to disconnect the same therefrom, a.- pinion on said shaft cooperating with said rack and a flattened collar on said shaft adiacent said pinion.

23. In a voting machine, the combination with voting members and primary locking mechanism for said voting members comprising locking bolts, a removable key carrier provided with a rack. and keys on said carrier for operating said bolts, of means for feeding a paper strip, means for marking said strip, means adiustable to vary the mark made on said strip including a link provided with a rack, a shaft having a pinion cooperating with the rack on said key carrier,

said shaft having a limited longitudinal movement to move said pinion out of engagement with said rack, a second pinion on said shaft co'ciperating with the rack on said link, saidlast named pinion being 0 a length to remain permanently engaged with said rack in all positions of said shaft, and a flattened collar on said shaft adjacent said pinion;

24. In avoting machine, the combination with a casing having a voting aperture and means for feeding a paper strip past said aperture in a positidn to permit a vote to be Written thereon, of means for making a longitudinal mark on said strip, means to control the position of the mark transversely of said strip, and a reading rule provided with graduations by which the mark on said strip isread.

25. In a voting machine, the combination with a casing having a voting aperture and means for feeding a paper strip past said aperture in a position to permit a 'vote to be Written thereon, of means for marking said strip during the feed thereof, and means for varying the mark so made.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. CHARLES C. ABBOTT. Witnesses: LESTER SHEPARn'soN, EDMUND A. I-IAsxms. 

